NEW YORK (AP) – The Major Leagues put a series of terms on the players’ union Tuesday that would allow the season in limbo due to the coronavirus to begin.
And the Governor of Illinois, J.B. Pritzker criticized major league players for not being willing to accept a bigger cut in their pay.
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A source close to the discussion told The Associated Press that Major League Baseball did not outline economic proposals during this first presentation. The person requested to remain anonymous because there was no permission to reveal details of the discussions.
The meeting lasted between three and four hours. An agreement with the union is required to play.
Also Tuesday, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey said professional sports can be played in his state starting Saturday, but without spectators on the stands.
On Monday, the owners of the major league teams gave the go-ahead to a proposal that would allow the campaign to open around July 4, in parks with no public.
The players agreed on March 26 to receive a prorated share of their wages, based on the proportion of the 162 normal games that could be held. As part of the deal, if there are no matches, players would get paid for service time in 2020, proportional to the money they earned last year.
The clubs are proposing that players receive the percentage of their 2020 wages, based on a division of equal parts of the income that Major League Baseball makes during the regular season and the postseason, a person who also requested said Monday to the AP remain anonymous because the plan has not been announced.
The union believes that this concept represents a salary cap, something that could not be accessed.
In the big leagues, the average salary would be $ 4.4 million if the season had started on time.
“I am aware that players have the right to haggle over their wages, but we are living in a time when the people of Illinois and the United States deserve to have their hobby back to watching games, even on television,” Pritzker said. , to the last question asked at a press conference.
“If they can come with security precautions, as the older ones have suggested, that works. I hope the players understand that the people of our country need them to recognize that this is an important part of the entertainment time that we all want to have during the summer. We want to see them play baseball. We want to support our favorite team, ”said the Democratic governor for Illinois.
“We need that back, that normality, and I hope they are reasonable when negotiating. But I must say that I am disappointed in many ways because the players are holding on to these very high wages and payouts, at a time when I think everyone is sacrificing. “
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AP journalist Jonathan J. Cooper contributed to this report from Phoenix.
